Akkha Masoor Recipe (Kolhapuri style)

Ingredients

For Cooking Lentils

• ½ cup whole masoor (brown lentils)
• 1 cup water – for pressure cooking

For Roasting & Grinding

• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut

Other Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil or sunflower oil
• ⅓ cup or 1 medium-sized onion – finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• ½ cup or 1 medium-sized tomato – chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala or kolhapuri masala or goda masala
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ cup water – added later
• salt – as required
• 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped, for garnish

Steps

Pressure Cooking Lentils

1. Give the whole masoor (brown lentils) a couple of very thorough rinses in water.
2. Place the rinsed masoor in a 2 litre pressure cooker with 1 cup water. Pressure cook over medium heat for 10 to 11 minutes or 4 to 5 whistles.
3. Do not remove the lid until the pressure drops on its own. Check that the lentils are well cooked but separate, not mushy. If they still have a slight bite, pressure cook for another 1 to 2 whistles.

Roasting & Grinding

1. As the lentils cook, heat a small pan and add the white sesame seeds.
2. Over low heat, roast the sesame seeds until their color changes and they begin to crackle.
3. The desiccated coconut goes in next.
4. Roast both over low heat, stirring continuously, until the coconut is golden. Remove the mixture and set aside.
5. When the mixture is warm or has cooled, transfer it to a dry grinder.
6. Grind without any added water to a fine mixture, then leave aside.

Making Akkha Masoor

1. In a pan, heat the oil before putting in the finely chopped onions.
2. Saute the onions with stirring over low to medium heat, stopping as they start to turn light golden.
3. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a few seconds until its raw aroma disappears.
4. Next, put in the chopped tomatoes.
5. Saute the tomatoes over medium heat, stirring, until soft and pulpy.
6. Add the powdered turmeric, cumin, garam masala, red chili and coriander.
7. Stir to mix everything thoroughly.
8. Add chopped coriander leaves (2 tablespoons) and mix again.
9. Put in the ground mixture of sesame seeds and desiccated coconut.
10. Give it another mix and stir.
11. Add the cooked masoor with ½ cup of its pressure-cooking stock. If there is too little stock, make a half cup total of stock + water; alternatively, add only ½ cup water.
12. Season with salt, then stir and mix thoroughly.
13. Simmer uncovered over low to medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
14. Oil specks floating on top signal that the curry is done. For a dry version, add less water and cook until all the water evaporates.
15. Garnish the Kolhapuri-style akkha masoor with chopped coriander leaves, then serve it hot with soft chapatis, bajra or jowar rotis, or steamed rice.
16. Bread or pav are also accompaniments for akkha masoor.